1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to systems for handling and using computer data and, more particularly, to a modular storage system for disk drives applicable to information storage devices that can manage data over a typical lifecycle, including creation/acquisition, analysis/use and archival storage.
2. Description of Related Art
It is often desirable to acquire, handle, manage, access, archive and otherwise use a number of disk drives containing computer data. Multiple disk drives typically are configured and used in a known RAID system, a number of which are well known to those skilled in the art. For example, a data lifecycle can consist of acquisition of the data, use and/or analysis of the data, and archiving of the data for storage.
Various means have been developed for such uses, such as the storage enclosures made and sold by WiebeTech (for example, the WiebeTech RT-5 unit) and similar companies. These enclosures typically hold 1-5 SATA drives in interchangeable trays with various options of eSATA, FireWire, USB or SCSI interfaces. RAID (“Redundant Array of Independent Disks” or “Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks”) technologies, well known to those skilled in the art, are used to coordinate storage and use functions of multiple storage media. For example, RAID 0 (striping) makes multiple disks look like one large disk. RAID 1 (mirroring) will put all of the new data onto multiple disks so that if one drive goes bad, the disk enclosure will keep working with the another drive. When a replacement drive is inserted, it copies all of the data to the new backup drive.
These earlier disk drive enclosures have included bays for disk drives, a power supply for powering any enclosed drives, RAID control logic, a display for providing information to a user about the disk drives, one or more fans to cool the drives, external connectors and circuitry/hardware for providing information about the disk drives enclosed, etc. For example, an enclosure front panel might provide information about power, temperature measurement and fan speed, and might display such information using one or more LED indicators. Power supplies inside an earlier disk drive enclosure might provide 100-240 VAC auto switched power to the enclosure and any drives housed therein.
A disk drive enclosed in an earlier device typically can be easily accessed and removed using a key-locked door or the like on these earlier systems. Thus disk drives can be swapped in and out of such prior disk drive enclosures without difficulty. Such enclosures typically weigh 12-17 pounds. Disk drive enclosures with 4-5 drive capacity typically cost more than $1,000 (not including the cost of the hard disk drives themselves).
Systems, methods and techniques that provide simpler, inexpensive acquisition, handling, management, analysis and archiving of data in RAID or similar system would represent a significant advancement in the art.